Letter to Disciples No. 210: “GOOD DEEDS” IS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT FROM “GOOD AIDS” IN SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

1/ Introduction:

In Buddhism and other religious sects, there always exist two parts: sutras and tantras (theory) and Dharma (practice). Some people prefer studying Buddhist canons while others tend to practice Dharma. They may choose depending on their individual faculties, but the enlightenment cannot be attained without any one of them (unless they have chances to cultivate under the guidance of Sangha in Buddha’s time).

It’s best that Buddhist practitioners combine both theory and practice, just like a bird with two wings flying high on the sky of liberation. This is the reason for my response to comments from Dr. C H Lakshmi Narayan and Prof.Dr. Aucharmal L.Y. (India)

2/ Comment details:

A/ Prof.Dr.Aucharmal L.Y.

No lake means no Guru

Thank you so much to make availability of such nice article, I like this article , having mysterious meaning, “Life without Guru and life having Guru.Buddha is the Great Teacher in the world, who started public Instructions method.Life without Guru is like wandering in Desert, all types of sufferings due to Delusion, egnorance, hate , Greediness, Anger Greediness destroyed himself ,means he wandering in Thirst.No knowledge means no Water to fulfilled his thirst, no lake .eans no Guru, here in this article LAKE is considered as GURU.

Guru has great role in human life .

Man in his mind to arious Attractions and Temtations.Man twisting himself in sensual satisfactory attractions .No doubt man can not live without sensual satisfaction. Because those are his Natrual Feelings but Buddha taught that not to cling to attractions , by the Thirst grows and man come under the impact of the external agencies or Attractions.

Thank you for availability of this nice article, Through this article I learned that the proper Medicine on certain diseases, the cronic diseases are not curable old medicine even after repeatedly doses,even after having a bag of good effective Medicine bag on ones back but not using the bag contained Medicine is not getting cured.why so is this.

Old medicine is not effective on old diseases and having good medicine on his bag but not practicing ,so suffering is carried on further day to day.The proper is that , Buddhism , Buddhist Philosophy and Teaching is the medicine for all times, primordial times. Some Buddhist disciples​ having known Buddhist teaching but not practicing it properly so such disciples do not free from old and new sufferings.Where as some people having little knowledge of Buddhism but the practise regularly getting relief from suffering..

Panchsilas and AstangMargas are to be daily practise in behavior.Mind should not disturb from the worldly six aggregations the Meditation is important. Meditation is the way and sources to controlled to Mind from Attractions.I am very much thankful​ to Buddhist desciple Rose Tran.

The great Tibetan Master Gampopa says after teaching Buddha’s doctrine to his diciples many of them are not practicing it in its true spirit by breathing”8-worldly winds” (gain or loss, praise or blame, fame or disrespect, pleasure or suffering) and this is similar to a diseased man carrying a bag of medicine(Dharma) which he never uses! This is a grevious failure.! Further,. There are two types of human beings

(1)One(like BOM) who does not know how to take the drug(for in medicinal dose it cures and in overdose poisonous!) indulging in 8_worldly winds and worldly pleasures!

(2)The other who knowingly keeps the drug (Dharma) in the bag of exhibition of his possessions(false spirituality) to create other’s appreciation! Not consuming it(practicing Dharma) ! Pretending to be involved in Spiritual Field.

The great Master Gampopa says that both (1). & (2) are analytically same.

They are carrying a bag of precious medicines(Dharma) which they never use(practice). This is against Buddhist teachings ! Here, Master Gampopa ironically criticizes such hypocrists who indulge in Negative Karmas,wearig Buddha’s attire and says : “practice what you Preach “and”Preach what you practice”.

In the end Gampopa reminds all Bodhisattvas Buddha’s Warning ” Not to worry about worthy or unworthy of any matters concerned or unconcerned and “LET It GO “. This is the Path towards Enlightenment.!

Om. Mani Padme Hum.

Dr. C H Lakshminarayan.

3/ Few thoughts of mine:

Dear Dr. C H Lakshmi Narayan and Prof.Dr.Aucharmal L.Y

I highly appreciate your modesty for respectfully calling a Kalyanamitra of Song Nguyen Tantra House in a far-off land like Vietnam as the “Guru”. Lakshmi Narayan is a 70-year-old doctor who has graduated from the India Institute of Buddhist Studies while Prof. Dr.,Aucharmal L.Y is a lecturer in history at a well-known university in India.

Lotus Flower Estrade in Song Nguyen Tantra House

I am pretty sure you both gain much social admiration and respect for your skills and profession. Often such persons with good conditions may face hindrances in cultivation, as warned by the Buddha in the Forty Two Chapter Sutra (Twenty difficulties for a Buddhist practitioner). In fact, however, just through the introduction of my disciple, Rose Tran (Mat Dieu Hang), you both respectfully accept me, a spiritual advisor without degrees, academic titles and even fame, as the Guru. This indicates a clear-cut stand and courageousness of the Buddha’s sons – “to rely upon the Dharma or truth itself, and not upon false interpretations of men”. I am glad to affirm that we have had good affinities from many previous lives that lead to such exceptional connection!

Many disciples of mine are Vietnamese intellectuals or highly-ranking figures but they themselves knocked to door of Song Nguyen Tantra House for Dharma petition. The gap of mind (discrimination in position, knowledge, degrees, etc) has therefore been erased and fulfilled with Guru devotion. In the meantime, you both stay far from me and have yet met each other in real life, why do you still have respectful words to me? Now we understand the profound meaning of a teaching inAvatamsaka Sutra (Flower Ornament Sutra): “Only faith allows one to enter the vast ocean of Dharma, overcoming raging waves to the source of enlightenment.”

Such waves of “doubt”, “belittlement”, “jealousy”, “envy”, “religious root”, “descent”, “religious age”, etc have plunged those who “rely upon false interpretations of men rather than the truth itself”, “rely upon words rather than the real meaning”. They are like the cave with entrance heading north, thus cannot receive the brightness and warmness of Dharma lights. They are like the one who has arrived the island rich of gemstones but returned empty-handed for being so absorbed in evaluating their authentication that forget the closing time of the treasury. They are like a fool sheltering from the rain but always raises doubt over the steadiness of the roof, then leaves out totally drenched. They are like little Bom who does not know about the value of brocaded robe he’s wearing. Consequently,Bom remains cheerful though being cheated by other kids for the lower value one.

4/ Conclusion:

Dear Disciples

It’s a great joy for me to see these two newcomers working diligently in the garden of Chanhtuduy.com, which should be set as an example for Vietnamese members, regardless the senior or the newly enter. I highly appreciate your profound comments but you should have a clear understanding of “good aids” and “good deeds”. Based on Aucharmal’s comment: “Panchsilas and AstangMargas are to be daily practise in behavior. Mind should not disturb from the worldly six aggregations the Meditation is important. Meditation is the way and source to controlled to Mind from Attractions,” following are some of my opinions:

1/ As for the commandment of precepts (silas), we should clarify the real meaning of precepts. Once following the path of Bodhisattva, practitioners need take the wish to benefit sentient beings as the corpus of spiritual practice (obviously after they thoroughly apprehend four aspects of silas, including open, prohibition, obedience and violation).

2/ The observation of precepts and realization of the Eightfold paths must be done in all three Buddhist schools (Therevada, Mahayana and Vajrayana). So what is the unique characteristic of Song Nguyen Tantra House (Vajrayana, Nyingma Lineage, Avalokiteshvara Division) whose practitioners are all laymen?

3/ What does it mean and what should be done when saying the practitioners should not get their mind attached to five worldly poisons?

Song Nguyen Tantra House at night

4/ It is not true that practicing meditation can help practitioners get out of worldly attractions. This is because 96 non-Buddhist sects in Buddha’s time could also reach the fourth Dhyana and the four Formless realms (arupa-dhatu) but they have remained in the cycle of existence (mentally attached). Therefore, meditation is merely a mean of practice in Buddhism, one of six Paramitas and one of ten spiritual activities. “If someone think that an experience resulting from a technique is supreme, he then mistakes copper for gold”, warned Master Gampopa. It should be stressed that meditation is not the characteristic and key enlightenment factor in Buddhism.

5/ That’s why you should have a clear perception that in Mahayana in general and of Vajrayana in particular, any methods of practice that lead straight to the omniscient wisdom (prajna) accompanied by Bodhicitta is good deeds (right direction).

I am delighted to read your article. It is very useful for us and learners who are seeking the right method to practice the Way. I rejoice in your virtue and bodhicitta to make clear explaination “good deed” is definitely different from “good aids” in spiritual practice.

I take great delight in the good deed of Mat Hue Phap for her great efforts to translate your article into English.

I highly appreaciate the modesty of Dr. C H Lakshminarayan and Prof. Dr. Aucharmal L.Y. as well. I am also happy to read their profound comments on chanhtuduy.com. Their diligence reminds me of that I should contemplate on practicing Dharma.

As your clarification in spiritual practice, I have understood that meditation is only one of six perfection (paramita) and it is one of ten spiritual activities. It is only the good aid for practitioner, not the ultimate end on the path to enlightenment. If one focuses on meditation only, but they do not target wisdom, the practitioner are still trapped in samsara. Therefore, in “37 practices of a Bodhisattva”, master Thogme Zangpo stated that:

“Without wisdom, the five perfections

Are not enough to attain full awakening.

Cultivate wisdom, endowed with skill

And free from the three domains — this is the practice of a bodhisattva.”

And in eight realizations of enlighted one, the Lord Buddha advised Buddhist practitioners that “they consider the realization of perfect understanding (wisdom) to be their only career.”

Obvisiously, meditation itself is not the ultimate goal of Buddhist practitiones.

Besides, in Lotus sutra wrote that: “any wholesome conducts that not originate from Bodhicitta are unwholesome”

And Trulshik Rinpoche once said: “If you are able to generate bodhicitta, it will be the cause of every happiness for yourself and others, and all the suffering you encounter in your daily life will be dispelled.

Therefore, may those who have not already generated this excellent and precious noble mind work very hard to develop it. May those who have already generated bodhicitta try their best not to impair it, working hard to increase love and compassion so that it continues to grow.”

I am thankful for your profound article.

May Guru and your consort live long for the sake of all sentient beings.

May Dr. C H Lakshminarayan and Prof. Dr. Aucharmal L.Y get achievement on the path to enlightenment.

Dear Guru
I have read this article. It is a very interesting one. Thank you so much.
May the Guru live long for the sake of all beings.
May all beings achieve the happiness of Buddha’s nature.
Om Mani Padme Hum.

There is a saying in our Mother tongue (Kannada),” Guruvina gulama naguvathanaka doreyadanna mukuthi ” which means until one becomes a slave to a Guru, there will be no liberation! What ever may be one’s position, possession, education and wealth etc. So, I was searching for a right Guru to surrender myself as a disciple. I am very fortunate in your letter addressed to me I felt you have accepted me as one of your disciples by the Grace of blessings of the great Buddha ! For which I am ever grateful to you Guruji and seek your guidance in the path of Enlightenment.

It is said that when the mind of the disciple is pure and fertile by getting rid of all the weeds (bad karma’s ), the Almighty God creates such circumstances as to bring Guru and the disciple near to each other either Guru coming in search of the disciple or the disciple going in search of Guru to sow the seed of Spiritualism. !

Incidentally , I remember the Guru-disciple relationship developed between the great saint Sri Ramakrishna and his disciple World famous Swamy Vivekananda of Sri Ramakrishna Matt lineage in India (which is the holy Mother land for so many saints and sages including the great Buddha!) is the best example.

Guru is only Resources of knowledge, without Guru no proper destination of knowledge. I got much of light in my mind with your Guidance.cleared many ideas, like Meditation , you guide that Meditation is not only way to maintain the Boddhichitta. Sutta and Practice are two parts of each religion.,I impressed with this statement,it is not sufficient to have collection of information but it must. be Practice in life. Thank you for valuable guidance.

I am delighted to read your comment. Budhda’s teachings are very useful for us and learners who are seeking the right method to practice the Way. I hope you understand that there is a saying in Tantra which means until one becomes a slave to a Guru, there will be no liberation! What ever may be one’s position, possession, education and wealth etc.

I’m delighted with your sharing. I really appreciate your diligence in reading and commenting regularly on chanhtuduy.com, as well as many other foreign dharma friends do that. I think that is the most practical action of faith in the Guru and the path that he’s guiding us.

I’m delighted with the Germa quote in your writing: “Many cooks spoil the porridge”. Referring to the Dharma, we see that many practitioners follow not one Guru but many Gurus. They supposed that’s better to learn from more and more Gurus to attain much from them. Totally, what they bring back is just a mess, which is difficult to eat, to digest. It’s may be even poisonous to their spiritual health. By the way, I’m happy that we are guiding by our Guru and not be suffering like their case above.

I’m happy with merit of Mat Dieu Hang in translating these writing into Vietnamese. May Tantra Mikaya and Mat Dieu Hang fulfill the legtimage wishes.

I deeply rejoice your writing of ” “Good deeds” is definitely different from “good aids” in spiritual practice”. After reading your article, I have learned more about good deeds and good aids. Thank you for the teaching. I highly appreciate the modesty of Dr. C H Laskshminarayan and Prof. Dr. Aucharmal L.Y as well.

I rejoice in brother Mat Hue Phap’s good deed of translation. Her translation supports to flourish your discourse all over the world for the sake of all sentient beings.

May you and your consort live long for the sake of all sentient beings.

May brother Mat Hue Phap get all legitimate wishes and achieve the joy that arises on the path to enlightenment.

May Dr. C H Laskshminarayan and Prof. Dr. Aucharmal L.Y get achievement on the path to enlightenment.

I am really grateful for your every wonderful and wisdomic articles. I really take a deep respect for your holiness unlimited compassion. The letter no. 210 stating about the difference of good deeds and good aids in spiritual practice is as always great and useful. Its is my pleasure to know the need to have both theory and practice in our life to gain enlightenment . Also as vast your holiness teachings are, i can gain more and more anout the pure preception of dharma. I pray both the doctors to gain peace with your holiness preachings. I would like to express my thankfulness to your holiness for such a insight article and even to all my dharma friends for making the chanhtuduy.com more and more worthy. May the holy guru live long for the benefit of all the sentient beings.May all the sentient beings gain the peace if ultimate truth. Om mani padme hung

DEAR GURU: Thank you very much for sharing such wonderful articles.Only the Guru gives us the necessary and appropiate knowledge resources in the practice of Dharma .Devotion and deep gratitude to the Guru. The meditation is not only the way to keep bodhichita .Practicing with good actions in daily life is to put the theory together with the practice. That the Guru has health and can live many years for the benefit of all sentient beings .That all beings are free from suffering an their causes. OM MANI PADME HUM

As it’s been explained in the previous comments, practice of the Holly Dharma with out a spiritual guide, it’s like working in tottal darkness not knowing what we are doing!

Also it’s explained by lord Buddha in the white lotus sutra that without a proper spiritual guide to reach the ether shore it’s extremely difficult if not achieverbol, like previously said our Holly Guru is the doctor we are those in which have to follow the therapy discribed by the doctor so we can heal our sekness, in a matter of spich.

dear holy guru thank you for your article and also the comments of dr. CH Lakshminarayan and Prof. Dr Auchamal L.Y. I have carefully read the articles and I think I understand that a person who does good deeds does not always have to be a Buddhist. It is important to practice both. Enriching knowledge and also practicing the Dharma is the right path to succeed. Through meditation we can strengthen our mind and open ourselves to receive knowledge. If we have good thoughts then our actions are of good nature. Compassion and charity help relieve the suffering. I did not learn to take my ego so seriously and I look at things differently today. Earlier when someone spoke hurtful then I referred this to my person. Today I know that this person carries injuries himself and I try to help. Thanks to your article holy guru I have learned to rearrange many things and I realize that only good thoughts can bring good deeds. So it’s important to unite theory and practice. When friends tell me that I feel very relaxed then I feel that I could escape the cycle of busy life, even if that’s not always the case. But I think it’s the right approach, the calm and the clear mind to focus on the important things. The Dharma is our precious good and we are allowed to practice it daily. All these good deeds are our karma. When we practice the Dharma we can also alleviate our suffering and free ourselves from suffering. For me, the Dharma means healing, the precious knowledge to live and great kindness for the benefit of all living things. May the suffering in this world be less. May our holy Guru life long for the benefit of all sentient beings. May all sentient beings achieve the happiness of Buddha s nature. Om Mani Padme Hum

Thank you for your lesson today. I have struggled with knowing if meditation was the key to enlightenment. I have difficulty meditating due to mental illness but i see that meditation is a means to practice but not the path to enlightenment. If i understand correctly meditation is a way to calm the mind which aides in prayer and practice but enlightenment can be achieved without meditation and can not be achieved without practice. I love to learn Buddhism, i appreciate your time and dedication to Buddhism and sharing it’s lessons. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, with me. I appreciate it and appreciate you. May you be blessed and enlightened for the sake of all sentient beings.